Shoe-lace fastener.



C. TAKETOSHI.

SHOE LACE FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1013,

1, 1 05,541 Patented July 28, 1914.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR lb qfldwwc 021068 Talcetosha'. WW3 Wag/W By A TTORNEY 1H5 NORRIS PETERS CO. PHDTQLITMLI, WASH/NGTON, D C.

- which the shoe-lace b is threaded.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CI-IOBEY TAKETOSHI, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

SHOE-LACE FASTENER.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Cnomn' TAKETOSIIT, a subject of the Emperor of Japan, and a resident of the city of Portland, county of Multnomah, State of Oregon, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shoe-Lace Fasteners.

My invention relates to shoe-lace fasteners as used on laced shoes.

The form of shoe-lace fasteners now in common usage has several objectionable features, and the object of my invention is to provide a device which will overcome these. Such objectionable features are as follows: FirstThe portion of the fastener that comes in direct contact with the shoe-lace is made with sharp edges which wear away the lace and thereby greatly shortens the life of the latter. Second-The upper edge of this fastener projects some distance away from the body of the shoe and offers a hook like portion which oftentimes catches and tears the lower portion of a womans dress or a mans trousers. In order to overcome such objectionable features my fastener comprises a standard adapted to be fastened on the portions (5, d of the upper of the shoe.

The details of my invention are fully described in the body of this specification, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a fragmental top view of the upper of a laced shoe, illustrating the general appearance of my improved fastener, and the manner in which it operates; Fig. 2 is an enlarged section of one of my shoelace fasteners, illustrating the position of the keeper part before the lace is placed in tension; Fig. 3 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 2 showing, however, the operation of the keeper part of my fastener when the lace is placed in tension, and Fig. 4 is a detail showing a top view of the standard of my fastener.

In Fig. 1, a represents the eyelets through 0 is the tongue which underlies the sides (Z, d of the upper.

My fastener 6 comprises a base f, provided with prongs g as means for fastening in the upper. The base f has a perpendicular standard it, made with a laterally projecting portion 2', having a convex upper top surface and a concave bend at i.

The lateral portion 2', of the standard it is provided with a laterally elongated hole, j,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 27, 1913.

Patented July 28, 1911/1. Serial No. 787,019.

located off center. The keeper 0 comprises a shank l6, and a semi-spherical hollow head 0 is allixed on the upper end of such shank. The shank 7c is inserted in the hole of the portion 71', which is laterally elongated or of conical vertical cross-section, so as to permit the lateral movement of the keeper as illustrated in Fig. 3, by the tension of an encircling lace. A collar on is fastened on the shank Z: of the keeper under the portion 2', by a bent pin Z, and the portion 2" of the latter i made concave to facilitate the movement of the keeper as described. Normally the keeper will be positioned as shown in Fig. 2, permitting the lace to be readily drawn under the head a at n as usual; but when tension applied to the lace 7) the keeper will be positioned as shown in Fig. 3, as already mentioned, and when so positioned will prevent any other object from working in at 71..

When the tension of the lace on the shank of the keeper is removed the keeper will have a tendency to automatically right itself back into its normal position, as shown in Fig. 2, because of said construction.

The protuberance existing at 0 is negligible since this portion would not have a tendency to catch on any wearing apparel. The circular cross-section of the shank lc prevents the undue wearing of the lace.

I claim:

1. A. fastener for laced shoes, comprising a standard formed with a horizontally projecting portion; a keeper made with a hollow spherical head and having a perpendicular shank allixed to the under side of said head, said. shank inserted through a laterally elongated orifice therefor provided in the projei'sting portion of the standard; and a collar secured on the shank portion extending below said projecting portion of the standard; the parts being adapted to permit the keeper to be moved laterally by the tension of an encircling lace.

2. A fastener for laced shoe comprising a standard formed with a horizontally projecting portion; a keeper made with a hollow spherical head and having a perpendicular shank al'liXcd to the under side of said head, said shank inserted through a laterally elongated orifice therefor provided in the projecting portion of the standard; holding means on the shank portion extending below said projecting portion of the standard; and the parts being adapted to permit the keeper to be moved laterally by the tension of an encircling lace.

3. A fastener for laced shoes comprising a standard formed With a horizontally projecting portion; a keeper made With a hollOW spherical head and having a perpendicular shank afiixed to the under side of said head, said shank inserted through a laterally elongated orifice therefor provided 10 in the projecting portion of the standard;

means holding the shank against being re moved from said horizontally projecting portion of the standard; and the parts being adapted to permit the keeper to be moved laterally by the tension of an encircling lace.

CHOBEY TAKETOSI-II.

Witnesses l/VM. S. SGHMITT, YASHITARO FUJIHIRo.

Gopllea of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

